Obtaining biopsy samples or removal of pathologies and tumors from patients normally relies primarily on the gross evaluation, (either visual, palpation, or other gross methods) of the area to be biopsied or removed. Microscopic confirmation or validation of the biopsy or removed tissue occurs after the pathologist obtains the specimen. The processing of pathology samples is conventionally done through a multi-step process that includes grossing, tissue fixation, processing, embedding, cutting and staining before the tissue is viewable under the microscope. This process often requires several hours. Also, a similar process known as “frozen sections” involves the same steps, however may be performed in several minutes.
Current sampling and excisional methods of both live or ex-vivo tissues lack the ability to screen, visualize or confirm the sample microscopically during or before submitting a sample. Methods include, but are not limited to, obtaining biopsies, ablative treatments, removing tumors with no residual tumor at margins, and sampling tissue by gross pathological evaluation. Furthermore, there currently does not exist a method for simultaneous fiber optic in-vivo or ex-vivo pathologic examination for diagnosis and treatment using an ablative energy source such as laser. The ability of simultaneously diagnosing and treating tissue in the same session without the need to displace or replace the apparatus may enhance treatment precision and completeness. Failure of accurate diagnosis or treatment may result in inaccuracies during sampling and inaccurate pathological evaluation of specimens that may result in patient harm. Accordingly, a simple method for visualizing and treating specimens in-vivo or ex-vivo without any significant alteration of the specimen and in real-time for guiding biopsy, tissue removal or sampling is needed. Such a method (and corresponding apparatus) may reduce sampling or excisional errors or eliminate the need for a biopsy or physical sampling of a specimen.